NORMAN, Okla. — J.T. Barrett has been telling people for a while now that Noah Brown has “suction cups for hands,” and now everyone can see why. The sophomore receiver’s circus catch — he grabbed both the slightly underthrown pass and a defensive back in a fierce embrace as they tumbled to the ground, ball pinned tightly to the DB’s back — was more than a highlight.

It was the pivotal moment, six seconds before halftime, as a showdown between two of college football’s all-time best programs turned into a showcase for Ohio State’s emerging bunch of new stars.

A 45-24 victory against Oklahoma served mostly as an introduction: Meet the new Buckeyes, same as the old Buckeyes — unless maybe they’re better.

Brown, a third-year sophomore, entered the night with five career catches. By early in the third quarter, he had four more — and four touchdowns. None was more spectacular, or meaningful, than the one he hauled in late in the second quarter. It was the catch of the young season, and three months from now it probably won’t have been topped.

And if no one could have expected it, well, maybe we should have seen something coming.

“When the ball’s around him, his hands find a way to get onto the ball,” said Barrett, the Buckeyes’ quarterback.

Brown, who missed all of last season after he was injured in preseason practices, was one of the nation’s most highly recruited players. But tick down the depth chart, filled this season with new names replacing a host of departed stars, and you’ll read some version of this about a whole lot of the Buckeyes. And after what happened on a stormy night in Oklahoma, we’ve all got a better idea why.

The road rout of a proud peer was spectacular — and it signaled several meaningful things. It’s now obvious the Sooners were dreadfully overranked in the preseason. But this is also pretty clear: Like shark’s teeth, Ohio State just reloaded.

The Buckeyes lost 12 players from last year’s uber-talented squad to the NFL Draft, all in the first four rounds. Only six starters returned this season (three each on offense and defense), the fewest of any FBS team. Thirty players on the 74-man travel squad this weekend were either redshirt or true freshmen. Urban Meyer took note of that fact as they boarded the buses back in Columbus, Ohio, and called it “alarming, a bunch of young guys going on the road” for the first time. He claimed he did not know what to expect from these Buckeyes.

“I didn’t see this coming at all,” said Shelley Meyer, the coach’s wife, shortly after the final gun.

Someone asked her husband afterward: Was this a coming-of-age game?

“This was the coming-of-age game,” Meyer said.

Especially early in the season, it is easy to overdo things in college football based on impressive performances. One week you’re a world-beater, the next you’re just beaten. But there’s now compelling evidence to consider the Buckeyes as legitimate contenders for the College Football Playoff.

“We know we can hang with anyone,” sophomore defensive end Sam Hubbard said.

Or hang half a hundred on anyone. Ohio State is “an outstanding team that really beat the heck out of us,” Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said afterward, and Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield went with the PG-rated version, saying: “We got our (butts) kicked.” If there’s any consolation for Oklahoma — there’s not, more on that in a moment — the Buckeyes might do it to a lot of opponents.

A quick note on what, for Oklahoma, already is a disappointing season before Big 12 play has even begun. The Sooners, who were in everybody’s preseason top five, are 1-2. And after a week off, the Sooners will face TCU and then Texas. Disappointment could easily become disaster.

But that’s to be determined. What was demonstrated Saturday was the very significant talent gap between Ohio State and a team that brought back much of the nucleus from a Playoff appearance. The outcome was less a collection of big plays snowballing into an avalanche — something we see every week somewhere, by someone — than compelling evidence of what Meyer has built in stacking together several superlative recruiting classes.

“We’ve known all along it wasn’t a rebuilding year,” said senior center Pat Elflein, one of the Buckeyes’ few returning starters. “We knew what we had. This was our chance to showcase that — that we reload.”

Brown is only one of many Buckeyes we’re all about to get to know much better. As one more example: Curtis Samuel, a potent blend of speed and swerve. Think of what Meyer had at Florida in Percy Harvin, and then flip back to the video of Samuel, time after time, outracing Oklahoma defenders to the edge and then zipping upfield, and then consider what that might mean for the future.

Samuel is a junior, and he’d shown flashes in his first two seasons while playing running back behind Ezekiel Elliott. But he’s made for the H-back position. He’s going to make big plays look routine — and he’s only one of several weapons Barrett has at his disposal at any time.

Then there’s the defense. Although the Buckeyes gave up yards and points, one statistic stands out: Through three games, they’ve snagged nine interceptions (including Mayfield, twice), returning four for touchdowns (once Saturday). It’s a fast bunch with room for growth.

There could be growing pains, of course. The Buckeyes’ Big Ten schedule features three teams currently ranked in the Top 12. But here’s what should be most alarming to college football.

LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) is defended by Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive back Lashard Durr (25) during the first quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium.
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Sefo Liufau (13) is hit by Michigan Wolverines defensive end Chris Wormley (43) just as he passes the ball in the second quarter at Michigan Stadium.
Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports

North Dakota State Bison place kicker Cam Pedersen (36) celebrates with placeholder Cole Davis (7) after kicking the game winning field goal on the final play of the fourth quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. North Dakota State won 23-21.
Jeffrey Becker, USA TODAY Sports

Clemson Tigers running back Wayne Gallman (9) carries the ball for a touchdown during the first quarter against the South Carolina State Bulldogs at Clemson Memorial Stadium.
Joshua S. Kelly, USA TODAY Sports